The UofT India Foundation (UTIF) is providing seed funds to support collaborative research initiatives through a Call for Proposals. The University of Toronto (U of T) and UTIF are committed to the positive impact that universities can have through international partnerships and co-creation, and through this Call for Proposals are supporting new or existing collaborations that:
- Objectives: Support the sustainability and climate resilience of Indian cities and city-regions, addressing issues that might include (but are not limited to) air quality, water and sanitation, infrastructure and construction, energy, mobility, urban planning, housing, sustainable livelihoods, data-driven sustainability, and waste. The funders recognize that urban India is diverse, encompassing the spectrum from small towns to megapolises and their peripheries, and therefore welcome proposals focused on building sustainable cities of all sizes.
- Impact: Facilitate high-impact research and solutions resulting in evidence-based recommendations, joint publications, and/or enhanced capacity to increase the sustainability and/or climate resilience of Indian cities and city-regions.
- Partnership model: Develop collaborative partnerships between U of T researchers and Indian academic, research, non-profit, or government entities to co-create impactful research that yields evidence, insights, and solutions for sustainable Indian cities.
Webinar for India-based Partners
A webinar will be held for India-based organizations and partners on December 3, 2025, at 6:30 PM IST (8:00 AM ET) focusing in part on forming partnerships with U of T PIs. U of T faculty may anticipate being approached between December 2025 and February 2026 by India-based partners who are interested in partnering on a proposal.
UofT India Foundation
The U of T India Foundation was established in 2023 and is the University of Toronto’s research and entrepreneurship centre in India. Based in Mumbai, UTIF facilitates collaboration between U of T and India-based partners, with a focus on creating more climate resilient and sustainable Indian cities of all sizes. A Section 8 (charitable) company under the Companies Act of India, UTIF is an impact-focused organization.
University of Toronto’s School of Cities
The School of Cities is a unique multidisciplinary hub for urban research, education, and engagement, creating new and just ways for cities and their residents to thrive. A key component of its engagement is School of Cities India — a focused area within School of Cities committed to engaging with Indian students, faculty, municipalities, urban stakeholders, and policy makers on a host of multidisciplinary initiatives relevant to urban studies, data, and training. The vision of School of Cities India is to conduct multidisciplinary research, mobilize knowledge, and build capacity that helps Indian cities become more sustainable and vibrant, and ensures that Indian people thrive.
About the Research Catalyst Grants Program
Eligibility
The UofT India Foundation, in partnership with the University of Toronto and its School of Cities, invites proposals from U of T researchers and their Indian partners to develop solutions that will support the creation of more sustainable and resilient Indian urban areas, from small cities to megapolises and their peripheries.
Eligibility to submit proposals:
- A proposal must include at least one co-Principal Investigator (PI) from U of T and at least one co-Principal Investigator (co-PI) from an Indian partner organization.
- The U of T co-PI must meet the University’s definition of a Principal Investigator (PI) and must hold an appointment for the full duration of the grant’s funding period.
- The Indian co-PI must be employed by the Indian partner organization. The partner organization could be a university, research center, NGO, civil society organization, foundation, or government body. For-profit or industry co-PIs are not eligible to act as co-PIs or hold grant funds. The Indian research partner must be based in and operate in India.
- The application must include a letter of support signed by a designated signatory of the Indian partner organization. Further, it should describe the Indian partner organization’s proposed involvement in the project; their desired outcomes and how these would contribute to their organization’s objectives; and a brief overview of the organization’s experience with financial management of grants. The letter must be on the Indian institution’s letterhead.
- Both the U of T co-PI and the Indian co-PI must have demonstrated experience of working and/or engaging with the problem they aim to address in the research.
Proposals
We welcome proposals from a wide range of academic disciplines, and interdisciplinary collaboration is encouraged but not required. Collaborative proposals that bring together researchers from various organizational sectors are also welcome. The potential for proposals to have a tangible impact on increasing the sustainability and resilience of Indian cities will be a core feature of assessment.
- The proposal must clearly outline the urban sustainability and/or climate resilience issue that it wishes to address, and demonstrate a need/rationale for investigating the problem.
- The proposal must demonstrate an equitable partnership between the Indian and U of T researchers in designing and undertaking the project.
- Proposals that demonstrate additional committed funding or potential for additional funding are encouraged but not required.
- The proposal must outline measurable outputs, which could include peer-reviewed publications; knowledge translation, capacity-building, and dissemination; spatial or design-based interventions; policy briefs or white papers; or technological products/design prototypes.
- Proposals must comply with U of T’s policies on ethics, health, safety, and international travel, and with U of T and UTIF financial policies.
Value, Duration, and Disbursement:
Grant funds will be awarded by UTIF to the successful Indian co-PI’s organization of employment in INR. Funds will not be transferred to individual co-PIs or other team members. Between 3 and 5 successful proposals will be selected for support valued between INR 9 lakhs to 15 lakhs (approximately CAD $15,000 and CAD $25,000), to be used between April 2026-March 2027.
The grant will be disbursed in tranches. The Indian partner organization will be expected to fund reasonable costs associated with the U of T PI’s economy-level travel using the disbursed funds, and travel arrangements will be made using India-based travel agencies. Grant funds cannot be used to cover any expenses incurred outside of India.
The proposed project budget should be submitted using the itemized budget sheet (links to templates below), incorporating eligible costs only:
Eligible Costs
- Costs of field work (including consumables; field allowance for Indian research assistants; honoraria for research participants; fees for data collection platform/analytical software; local IRB sitting fees; equipment rental)
- Additional India-based investigator/staffing costs to facilitate research process (not exceeding 25% of overall budget)
- Economy-class travel costs, such as economy flights (‘basic’ economy only; ‘premium economy’ flight class will not be covered) and hotels for U of T faculty and local Indian partners within India
- Costs of capacity-building activities
- Publication and dissemination costs
- Equipment associated with the project (capped at 5% of overall budget costs)
- Grant administration and management costs (if any, capped at 7% of overall budget costs)
Ineligible Costs
- Costs incurred outside India
- Replacement research/teaching costs
- Costs associated with applicants’/co-PI’s time
- Scholarships
- Conference attendance
- Tuition fees
Project Timeline and Commitments:
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| November 11, 2025 | Call for proposals opens |
| December 3, 2025 | Webinar for India-based partners on building partnerships with U of T PIs |
| February 16, 2026 | Grant application due |
| Approx. March 16, 2026 | Results Announced |
| April 1, 2026 | UTIF to finalize project and grant disbursement plan with Indian Partner |
| April 15, 2026 | Grant Period Begins |
Submission of Proposals
All grant applications must be submitted on https://bit.ly/submission_RCG2026-27 by the indicated deadline as per the following guidelines:
- The application must include two files i) a single .pdf file with your research proposal; CVs of all principal investigators; and a letter of support from Indian Partner Organization and ii) the budget sheet as an independent .xlxs file.
- Applications must be in English only and must use the prescribed templates provided in the Call for Proposals
- Files must be named as “Application P1 Name PI2 Name” and “Budget PI1 Name PI2 Name) at submission.
- Links to the application form and the budget template can be found at the end of this call.
The full proposal must include the following elements (outlined in the grant application template):
Initiative Overview: Brief overview of the proposed initiative; co-PI’s titles and organizations of employment and an Initiative Description that includes:
Background and rationale: In plain language, suitable for public use, describe the research question, goals, and anticipated contribution of this initiative (150 words).
Methodology/activity plan: This section should detail the methodology/research approach/activities; sampling and/or participant mobilization strategy; data storage; analysis strategy; and dissemination plan. Where applicable, proposals should also provide information on participant confidentiality and ethical compliance (1,000 words).
Outputs and Potential Impact: This section should outline proposed outputs (publications; knowledge translation, capacity-building, and dissemination; spatial or design-based interventions; policy briefs or white papers; or technological products/design prototypes.) In addition, this section should also describe anticipated impact aligned with the grant’s focus of fostering sustainable and/or climate resilient Indian cities (300 words).
Collaborative Team (300 words): Describe the roles, responsibilities, and contributions of the co-PIs, as well as any other key participants. All applications must also include the following documents as a part of the final submission:
- An abbreviated Curriculum Vitae (5 pages max) for the Indian and U of T PIs
- A signed letter of support on organizational letterhead for the Indian partner organization.
Note: Curriculum Vitae and letters of support are not included in the word-count-limit.
Project Sustainability (300 words): The sustainability of the project will be considered, although it is not a mandatory requirement for proposals. List any sources of external funding that the research team holds or intends to apply for to sustain and build upon the research with a focus on upscaling/cross-adaptation. Describe how the partnership could evolve over time and the potential for long-term sustainability or scaling-up of the project.
Proposed Timeline: A project timeline that outlines project activities; travel, if any; and key project milestones.
Budget: The amount of funding requested for the project duration, including a breakdown of the activities and amounts requested using the budget sheet template provided.
Evaluation Criteria:
Proposals will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
- Partnership (equitable nature of the collaboration, team member expertise and complementary skills, implementation capacity)
- Clarity, relevance, and focus of research problem (innovation/critical thinking, relevance to the theme, and justification)
- Potential impact and outcomes of the project
- Research approach (study design, rigor, ethics, analysis plan, participant mobilization/ engagement strategy, and feasibility)
- Timeline and workplan (clear milestones and appropriate budget projections)
- Advantageous, but not a required criterion: Proposals that can demonstrate potential for long-term sustainability and scalability of the project are particularly encouraged.
The peer review committee will select 3-5 proposals for funding.
Communication of Results
Results will be announced via email to all applicants.
Reporting: All awardees must, as a condition of receiving an award, submit project progress reports six- and nine months after commencement of the grant, followed by a final report within two months of grant closure describing the outcomes, impact, and opportunities for future collaboration that evolved from the initiative.
Questions regarding this Call for Proposals can be directed to: catalystgrant@uoftindiafoundation.com
Download the application and budget template here.
Research Catalyst Grants 2026-2027 Application Template
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the grant be awarded in INR or CAD?
The grant funding will be in INR and will be awarded to the Indian Partner Organization.
FCRA registration is not a prerequisite for Indian organizations applying to this grant.
I am interested in applying for the grant but do not have an Indian/U of T partner. Can I still apply?
The grant application requires a collaboration between an Indian Partner Organization and a U of T faculty member. If you are an Indian partner seeking connections with potential U of T Co-PIs, please contact andrea.russell@utoronto.ca. If you are a U of T faculty member seeking connections with potential Indian partner organizations, please reach out to shruta.rawat@uoftindiafoundation.com. Please allow adequate time for these connects and reach out to us well in advance to facilitate connections.
Can the application include researchers from different institutions?
Multidisciplinary and collaborative proposals from researchers across different institutions are welcome, as long as lead applicants meets eligibility requirements (at least one Indian partner and one U of T co-PI). Individuals who are not affiliated with Indian partner organizations or U of T should be listed as consultants.
Can a U of T faculty member be listed a co-PI on multiple grant applications?
A U of T faculty member can be listed as a co-PI on multiple grant applications. However, the U of T faculty member can be a co-PI on a maximum of two awarded grants in the same grant cycle.
Does the Indian co-PI have to be affiliated with an academic institution?
No. Indian co-PIs can be from community-based organizations and other diverse not-for-profit entities, including academic institutions and government bodies.
What are the criteria for the Indian co-PI for this grant call?
Indian co-PIs must be working full-time with the Indian partner organization and must have experience working on the proposal’s core thematic area. An Indian co-PI from non-academic institutions would need to have project- and team management skills. While research experience is highly desirable for Indian co-PIs, Indian co-PIs with demonstrated experience of managing and implementing projects; technical expertise of the issue in Indian contexts; and/or field experience will be considered equally to academic research experience.
Can for-profit Indian companies apply for this grant?
This round of the Catalyst grant is only open to not-for-profit entities and academic institutions. You can reach out to shruta.rawat@uoftindiafoundation.com if your company works on thematic areas that contribute toward building a sustainable India for exploring potential collaborations and engagement opportunities.
Can we submit multiple applications for this grant call?
PIs and organizations may submit up to two applications for this call. However, the applications must be distinct and should focus on different thematic areas and/or different research questions.
We have submitted our application but would like to make some key changes to the application. How do we proceed?
Please submit the revised application on the submission link and indicate “Revised Application of Interest” followed by your project title in the “project title” field. Further, please indicate the application and budget files as “revised” in your new submission. Only revisions received within the deadline will be considered for review.
We submitted a revised application but did not indicate it as a revised version. What happens now?
Only applications indicated as “revised” will be considered for review. If your submission does not indicate an application as “revised”, then the original submitted application will be considered for review. Please refer to the call for proposals for more details.
Do we need to submit additional materials, like ethical- or IRB approvals?
If your research involves human subjects, animals, and/or sensitive data, you may be required to submit ethical approval or Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval prior to initiating any project work, if you are awarded the grant.
What happens if we miss the application deadline?
Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered under any circumstances. We recommend submitting your application well in advance to avoid last-minute technical or logistical issues.
Who can we contact if we have specific queries pertaining to this call for applications?
Please direct all your queries to shruta.rawat@uoftindiafoundation.com. Please allow up to 2 working days for response.
We are unsure of applying for this grant call but would like to be in touch and receive updates on potential future opportunities.
Please email contactus@uoftindiafoundation.com and request to be added to our mailing list. You can also share a short profile of your/your organization’s work and request for a connect. Our team will add you to our mailing list, and if requested, will connect with you shortly for a conversation on our larger work.